New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-01
RAILROAD INTER ESTS.
INVESTIGATING THE COAL POOL.

MIR. HARRIS SAYS THE AGREEMENT WAS BROKEN
MEETINGS OF THE COMBINATION.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec 31.-AnotheI meeting was
held to-day TO take testimony the suits OF the Com
monwealth against the various railroad CON panies,
parties to the trunk line pooling contract and the
anthracite coal combination. The first witness was
Joseph S. Harris, president Of the Lehigh Coal and
Navigation Company. In reply to questions OF the
Attorney General Mr.. Harris SAID that be attended
meeting of people interested in coal lands in Decem
her, 1SS4, in Ney-Yark, and another meeting in this
city Oh December 10, 1884. AT these meetings the
Object of division of the anthracite coal trade among
all interests and for monthly yearly quotas was
discussed, and plan of apportonments to the
different companies made tor the fifteen months
ending March 81, 1856.
Mr.. Harris said the allotmonts were made to the
various companies as a mere matter OF convenience
and that the various parties to the agreement did not
know whether it wOald be carried out or not. The
fact was that the agreement was not carried out.
Attorney General Cassidy asked who controlled the
monthly allOtmens tor 1888, and Mr.. Harris replied
that nobody controlled them that the agreement was
broken so that the shipment for 1880 exceeded the
allotment by 1000 tons. Another meeting was
then held at the Office of the mia Coal Com
pony in New-iork on January 49, 1850. The same
interests were represented and committee of three
was appointed to confer with the Pennsy lvauia Rail
road Company and tn, coal interests which it con-
troed, relative TO the anthracite coal trade. The
meeting then Adjourned until January 26 1880. when
the committee repotted that the pcnnsy Railroad
Company refused abide Ivy the terms of the agree
ment Aftei sard the Pennsylvana Railroad Com
panys coal companies and the New-York. Lake Erie
and Western Railroad Company came into the pool.
On March %. 1856. another meeting was held at
the house of ). Perpont Morgan IN New-iork. Mr.:
Harris read the minutes of the meeting. which showed
that those present agreed advance the price OF coal
% cents per ton. and in the shipment exceeded
the allotment 80 cents Ier ton for each ton so
shipped the amount to be divided among the parties
10 the agreement
On March 20 1856, another meeting was held A
meeting was also held April at the OF ce ol 'he
Pennsylvania Coal Company. at which II was agreed
that t6e TONNAGE Tor 1856 thould he based upon the
tonnage for lNJJ The Pennsylvania Railroad Com
panv and the New. York. Lake Erie and Western Ral
road Company refused to ABIDE by the agreement.
In reply to questions lIOm Attorney-Gcuerai CASSIDY
Mr.. Harris sad that he did not know whether an
advance had been ordered in September October OF
this year not The matter never came close to him.
He be ieved that there WIS an advance, but he did
not know whether it ordered or il ro when. Mr..
Cassidy wanted to know whether there al od-
90 crnts per ton with the last two months,
bnt Mr. Harris said he could not tell lie could not
tell whether there had been any changes Of trade
lately which justified in the price OF coal
Tue hearing then adjourned until Monday.